Parallel wedge gauge



April 1952 D. E. STAINTON 2,592,757

PARALLEL WEDGE GAUGE Fild'Feb. 24, 1948 Patented Apr. 15, 1952 DudleyErnest Stainton, Rickmansworth, England Application February 24, 1948,Serial No. 10,326 In Great Britain February 8, 1944 Section 1, PublicLaw 690, August 8, 1946 Patent expires February 8, 1964 Claims. 1

This invention relates to gauging or like devices of the type comprisinga pair of elements, having parallel gauging faces and co-operatingsurfaces inclined to said parallel faces whereby relative slidingmovement of the elements along the-"inclined surfaces causes variationsin the distance between the parallel faces.

One object of the present invention is to provide an improved adjustablegauge of the type above set forth which is of great accuracy and inwhich theoperation of adjusting the elements is quick and provides apositive location of the elements in their adjusted relation.

The invention consists in a precision adjustable'slip gauge comprising apair of elements having parallel gauging faces, co-operating contactingfaces inclined to said parallel gauging faces, the elements beingrelatively slidable along the inclined surfaces to cause variations inthe distance between the parallel gauging faces, one of said elementshaving a regular series of recesses extending in the direction of saidrelative movement, the pitch of said recesses conforming to incrementsof the nominal height of the gauge, the other element having abutmentmeans displaceable in a direction normal to the inclined surfaces, saidabutment means engaging in said recesses to hold the elements inlongitudinal adjusted relation and being movable automatically during atleast one direction of said sliding movement.

The recesses may comprise a series of buttress teeth each having *a facelocated at right angles to the parallel faces of the gauge, and theabutment means may comprise a headed cross pin displaceable in a slotdisposed normal to the gauging face.

According to an alternative form the recesses may be of V-shape intowhich a spring pressed V-shaped plunger engages.

The recesses or teeth may be formed integral Figure 3 is a side view ofthe upper element, Figure 4 is an end view of the element, Figures 5 and6 are side and end views of the lower element,

Figures 7 and 8 are sectional elevation and end elevation of amodification,

Figures 9 and 10 are side and end views of the lower element of themodification, and

Figures 11 and- 12 are side and end views of the modified toothed bar. I

In carrying the invention into effect according to one convenient modeby way of example, the gauge comprises upper and lower elements I and 2adapted to slide longitudinally with respect to one another on theco-operating inclined surfaces 3 and 4 whereby the distance between theI parallel faces 5 and 6 or height of the gauge may with one element ormay be arranged on a bar Means may be provided forpreventing separationof the elements.

I In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view partly in section gauge according to theinvention,

Figure 2 is an end view,

of a 7575 be varied.

The parallel gauging faces 5 and 6, and the inclined surfaces 3 and 4are hardened and lapped. I

For the purpose of holding the elements I an 2 in their various adjustedpositions the lower element is provided with a central blade or tongue Ithe upper surface of which is provided with a regular series of sawteeth 8 having inclined faces 8a and 8b at right angles to the face 6.

The blade 1 projects into a central recess 9 in the upper element I witha sliding fit avoiding side play. The crests of the teeth 8 are spacedfrom the base of the recess 9.

Co-operating with the saw teeth 8 is across pin Iil located in a slot IIin the upper element. The pin I0 is provided with end knobs or buttonsI2 which seat partly in recess I3. By means of the buttons I2 the pin I0 may be manually moved inthe slot I I to release it from the teeth 8.The pin ID may ride in the slot by gravity action or may be springcontrolled by a leaf spring I4 secured to the upper element. Instead of'the teeth 8 being formed at the top of the blade 1 theymay be arrangedat the side or sides thereof.

It will be appreciated that in moving the elements I and 2 relativelythe cross pin II will ride up the inclined faces 8a of the teeth andwill drop in each tooth space lodging against the surface 8% whereby thelocation is controlled so that various values of height will be obtaineddepending upon the inclination of the surfaces 3 and 4 and the pitch ofthe teeth. In order to release the pin II! when slidably moving theupper member I down the incline the pin is lifted out of: the toothspace manually by the buttons I2.

The top surface of the upper element I may be provided with a facet I5.

The upper and lower elements I and 2 may be the elements I and 2together.

held together against separation by any suitable means which permittheir sliding adjusting The tongues may be turned downwardly to pressThe inserts It also close the lower ends of the slots H.

ures 7 to 12, the toothed bar-or blade is separate from the lowerelement and seats in a longitudinal recess 21 therein, the base of therecess being parallel to the face 6. The bar 20 is provided withtransverse recesses 22 in which rollers 23 are located, such rollersengaging the base of the recess 21 to provide an anti-friction supportfor the bar.

The bar 29 is adapted for longitudinal adjustment in the recess 21to-provide initial setting or adjustment for wear. For this purposeadjusting locking screws 24 are provided at the ends of the element 2and engage inclined end surfaces 25 ofthe bar 20. The-screws arethreaded in plates 26 secured to the element 2. The lower element may beprovided with an adjustable zero plate, comprising a plate having a zeroline or Vernier lines and secured to the lower element by screwsengaging slots in the plate, whereby the latter may be adjustedlongitudinally of the element.

Various accessories such as D plugs or hemie spheres may be wrung on theparallel faces of the upper and lower elements whereby radial,diametrical measurements may be made. Slips may be-inserted between theD plugs and the members being wrung to the appropriate faces.

The gauge will be marked with graduations indicating the pitches on oneelement and a'zero or adjustable zero plate on the other element,indicating for example-F10 units of .0001 about the nominal height ofthe gauge when at zero. The nominal size and incremental value will alsobe shown.

Variation of the angle of inclination and in the pitch of the teeth willpermit of different height values in the gauges.

The mating face of the upper element maybe provided with air or dirtgrooves of suitable shape.

The improved gauge according to the invention will be quick in actionand give a direct reading and will not require a secondary method ofmeasurement for the reason that knowing their nominal size. theincrements can be either added or subtracted from the nominal.

- The. gauges may be provided in different types andsizes. a I

:1. "A precision slip gauge comprising a pair of elements havingparallel gauging faces providing anominal height to the gauge,co-operating contact-ing faces inclined to said parallel gauging faces,said elements being relatively slidable along the inclined surfaces,-without transverse separation; of the elements, to cause variations inthe distance between said gauging faces andan alteration in said nominalheight, a series of ment, the pitch of said teeth conforming to uniformincrements of said nominal height, each of said buttress teeth having aface at right angles to said gauging faces, the other element having atransverse slot the major axis of which lies in a plane parallel to saidtoothed faces, a spring biased pin mounted in said slot to lie in aspace between said teeth and in engagement with one of said tooth facesto locate and hold the ele- 10 According to a modified arrangement, seeFigments in longitudinal adjusted relation conforming to the incrementsof the nominal height.

2. A precision slip gauge as claimed in claim 1 wherein one of saidelements is provided with a longitudinally extending tongue on itsinclined face, said buttress teeth being formed in said tongue, theother of said elements having a longitudinally extending groove in itsinclined face, said tongue entering said groove and having a sliding fittherein, said transverse slot being formed in'the other. element andintersecting said groove.

3. A precision slip gauge as claimed in claim 1 wherein said elementsare provided withlongitudinally extending grooves in their inclinedfaces, a bar rigidly secured in the groove of'one element and having apart projecting beyond said inclined face, said projecting part havingsaid buttress teeth formed thereon, said pro- ,jecting part projectinginto the groove of the other element and having a sliding fit therein,said transverse slot being formed in said other element and intersectingthe groove therein.

4. A precision slip gauge as claimed in claim 1 wherein said elementsare provided with longitudinally extending grooves .in their inclinedfaces, a bar located in the groove of one element and adjustablelongitudinally therein for initial adjustment purposes. means forrigidly securing wherein said spring biassed pin extends beyond theelement and is provided with heads for manual engagement to move the pinfrom the rack to permit relative movement of the elements in onedirection.

regularly spacedbuttressteeth mounted in fixed operative relation of oneof said elements. and extending inthe. direction of said sliding move-DUDLEY ERNEST STAINTON.

. REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent: I 1

, UNITED STATES PATENTS

